EurekAlert! News by Subject: Social & Behavior - News by Subject: Social & Behavior

Social & Behavior

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 17-Dec-2025 19:12 ET (18-Dec-2025 00:12 GMT/UTC)

Billions voted in 2024, but major new report exposes cracks in global democracy

University of East Anglia
Reports and Proceedings

A new report from the University of East Anglia has raised concerns about the state of democracy around the world during 2024’s ‘Super Cycle’ of elections.

Described by Time Magazine as the ‘Year of Elections’, 2024 saw 1.6 billion people head to the polls across 74 national elections in 62 countries - an unprecedented concentration of democratic activity in a single year.

But a global report from the Electoral Integrity Project, released today, paints a mixed and often troubling picture of how those elections were conducted.

Green transition will boost UK productivity

University of Exeter
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The green transition will boost productivity across the UK economy, new research suggests.

Journal: Climate Policy
Funder: Economic and Social Research Council

Support networks may be the missing link for college students who seek help for excessive drinking

Texas A&M University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

College students who want help overcoming high-risk drinking could benefit from a two-pronged approach that combines an individual-focused psychological theory with social network analysis. That’s according to a new study from Texas A&M University School of Public Health Assistant Professor Benjamin Montemayor and former doctoral student Sara Flores, both in the Department of Health Behavior.

Journal: Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs

Perceived social status tied to cardiovascular risks in women but not in men

McGill University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Women who see themselves as having lower social status are more likely than other people to show early signs of heart stress linked to future disease risk, according to a new study led by researchers at McGill and Concordia universities.

Journal: Biopsychosocial Science and Medicine
Funder: Courtois Cardiovascular Biorepository Program

When people express love, they feel more loved

PLOS
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Expressing love may lead to increased feelings of being loved, which can have downstream effects on people’s senses of fulfillment and wellbeing. Zita Oravecz and colleagues from Pennsylvania State University present these findings in a study published July 2, 2025 in the open-access journal PLOS One from a survey tracking feelings and acts of love over time.

Journal: PLOS One

People who recently adopted pets often struggled to access vet care

PLOS
Peer-Reviewed Publication

During the COVID-19 pandemic when many were stuck at home, people adopted more pets than average, but then struggled to find adequate veterinary care. Kayla Pasteur of Purdue University, U.S., and colleagues reported these findings and other pandemic pet trends, which were published in a new study July 2, 2025 in the open-access journal PLOS One.

Journal: PLOS One

Emoji use may impact relationship outcomes

PLOS
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The use of emojis in text messaging improves perceived responsiveness and thereby enhances closeness and relationship satisfaction, according to a study published July 2, 2025, in the open-access journal PLOS One by Eun Huh from The University of Texas at Austin, U.S.

Journal: PLOS One